Automated Container Image Generation via Dynamic System Call Tracking

Solution Overview

Problem

The difficulty in constructing and generating a container mirror image for specific application software lies in analyzing dependency relationships between the application and system software, which is often unknown, leading to increased complexity and the need for extensive testing during migration to a cloud platform.

Innovation Solution

A method that tracks the execution of a target application, monitors its system calls, and automatically organizes dependencies to generate a Dockerfile and container mirror image, allowing for the packaging of the application into a container without requiring deep knowledge of its components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If manual analysis method is used to identify dependency relationships, then the container mirror image can be constructed, but the process complexity and testing requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer mirror image constructionVSAvoiddependency analysis process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis with automated dynamic tracking execution. A tracking agent monitors system calls and library loading processes during application execution, automatically capturing dependency relationships without human intervention. This substitution eliminates the complexity of manual dependency analysis while maintaining accurate container construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The application process itself generates the dependency information needed for container construction. By tracking the application's own execution and system calls, the method extracts dependency relationships directly from the running process, making the process self-describing and eliminating the need for external manual analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of manufacture

If manual analysis method is used to identify dependency relationships, then the container mirror image can be constructed, but the time consumption increases due to extensive testing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer mirror image constructionVSAvoidtesting and validation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs dependency capture during the application's normal execution phase before container construction begins. The tracking agent records all system calls and library loadings in advance, so when container construction starts, the dependency information is already available, eliminating the need for time-consuming testing and validation iterations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The tracking agent continuously monitors the application execution and provides real-time feedback on dependency relationships. This feedback mechanism automatically updates the dependency information as the application runs, ensuring accurate container construction without requiring multiple testing cycles to validate dependencies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If deep knowledge of application components is required, then accurate container construction is possible, but the ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer construction accuracyVSAvoidcontainerization process

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The application process itself generates the dependency information needed for container construction. By tracking the application's own execution and system calls, the method extracts dependency relationships directly from the running process, making the process self-describing and eliminating the need for external manual analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis with automated dynamic tracking execution. A tracking agent monitors system calls and library loading processes during application execution, automatically capturing dependency relationships without human intervention. This substitution eliminates the complexity of manual dependency analysis while maintaining accurate container construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11656893B2Container dockerfile and container mirror image quick generation methods and systems

Publication Date: 2023.05.23 GENETALKS BIO TECH (CHANGSHA) CO LTD

AI summary

The invention discloses a container Dockerfile and container mirror image quick generation methods and systems. The container Dockerfile quick generation method includes the steps of for a to-be-packaged target application, running and performing tracking execution on the target application, and recording operation system dependencies of the target application in the running process; organizing and constructing a file list required for packaging the target application to a container mirror image; and according to the file list required for packaging the target application to the container mirror image, generating a Dockerfile and container mirror image file creation directory used for packaging the target application to the container mirror image. Any target application can be automatically packaged by the invention to a container; the construction of an executable minimal environmental closure of the target application is finished; the packaged container is smaller than a manually made container.